Got a couple of questions regarding playing 4th Edition WHFRP:

Which character creation method is the more popular one; rolling everything and benefiting from the extra XP it gives, or selecting your various selectable options so you can play what you want but lose the bonus XP? I know neither method is "right" or "wrong," but WHFRP's reputation as a punishing experience that chews up and spits out unoptimized characters precedes it, making me worry that every scrap of XP I can get is necessary to increase a character's chances of survival, even if they're not necessarily the character I actually WANT to play...

Second, in the event I were to play a Wizard of any kind, what Wind of Magic would be the most advantageous for the aid of a party? My general impression is that Ghyran would be best, as it has the most healing abilities, followed maybe by Hysh as it also has a healing spell and also has powers that are helpful against undead and Chaos. Again, I know technically I could pick what I want, but again, I worry that WHFRP is much less forgiving of unoptimized characters than, say, D&D is.

Finally, according to what research I've done, Wood Elves don't have to worry about Slaanesh or Ereth Kial the way High Elves do because Athel Loren absorbs and protects their souls after death, but there's the rub: that protection seems only to extend to the Asrai, the Wood Elves of Athel Loren proper. Do the Eonir, the Wood Elves of Laurelorn in the Empire, need to use the same protections High Elves do with Waystones and stuff? Or does Laurelorn function like a mini-Athel-Loren, protecting their souls the same way Athel Loren protects the Asrai? Or are they basically out of luck and doomed for XTRA GRIMDARK TRAJADEE?

Thank you in advance!